DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Korean Application No. KR10-2024-0030902, filed on 04 March 2024.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as b(a)(1) as being anticipated by Clarke et al. (US 2024/0348573 A1) (hereinafter as Clarke).
Regarding Claim 1. Clarke teaches an operating method of a server providing an instant messaging service, the operating method comprising:
determining, based on status information of an administrator of a first-type chat room and public backup setting information of the chat room, whether public data corresponding to the chat room is in an available state (the administrative portal, the administrator may be able to selectively enable or disable a remote storage setting (e.g., a cloud storage setting) associated with the entity's conversations, par [0033], using the administrative portal, the administrator may be able to selectively enable or disable a remote storage setting (e.g., a cloud storage setting) associated with the entity's conversations, par [0043], a public chat channel can be a chat channel that is open to the public for participation. Anyone connected to the system may participate in the public chat channel and receive messages, par [0022]);
in response to the public data being in the available state, storing chat data sent and received within the chat room as the public data in a drive of the administrator (If the server node's message encryption functionality is disabled, determining accessibility is skipped and users participating in the chats can receive messages including old messages, pars [0032] and [0062]); and
providing the public data to a terminal of a participant in the chat room (the chat server system can coordinate with the server node to obtain some or all of the intervening chat messages from the database system and provide those chat messages to the user, par [0034]).
Regarding Claim 2. Clarke teaches wherein the operating method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the public data comprises:
receiving a request for the chat data from the participant in the chat room (the system receives a chat message from a first participant in a chat conversation, which may be associated with a chat channel. For instance, the server node can receive the chat message from the first client device, par [0064] and the chat server system generates a request to obtain a subset of the encrypted chat log stored in the database system, par [0057]); and
in response to the public data being in the available state, acquiring the requested chat data from the public data stored in the drive of the administrator (the system determines at least one data center in which to store a copy of the chat message. The system can make this determination based on one or more factors, such as corporate policies, a characteristic of a participant in the chat conversation, a geographical location associated with a participant in the chat conversation, the chat channel containing the chat conversation, and/or legal restrictions, par [0066], the chat message can be received at the server nodes of the selected data centers, at which point the server nodes can transmit commands to their corresponding database systems for causing the database systems to store copies of the chat message in their local chat logs, par [0070], the chat server system can coordinate with the server nodes to pull the conversation history from the users' corresponding data centers and provide it to them (e.g., rather than pulling the conversation history from its own cloud storage). The chat server system can coordinate with the server node to obtain some or all of the intervening chat messages from the database system and provide those chat messages to the user, par [0034]).
Regarding Claim 3. Clarke teaches the operating method of claim 1, wherein the chat data requested by the participant comprises at least one of:
chat data sent and received within the chat room before the participant joins the chat room (the system determines at least one data center in which to store a copy of the chat message. The system can make this determination based on one or more factors, such as corporate policies, a characteristic of a participant in the chat conversation, a geographical location associated with a participant in the chat conversation, the chat channel containing the chat conversation, and/or legal restrictions, par [0066]);
data for which a general backup condition corresponding to the participant has expired; or
data for which a private backup condition corresponding to the participant has expired.
Regarding Claim 4. Clarke teaches the operating method of claim 1, wherein the status information of the administrator is determined based on at least one of an account type of the administrator or a remaining capacity of the drive (the system determines at least one data center in which to store a copy of the chat message. The system can make this determination based on one or more factors, such as corporate policies, a characteristic of a participant in the chat conversation, a geographical location associated with a participant in the chat conversation, the chat channel containing the chat conversation, and/or legal restrictions, par [0066], the subset of the chat log is stored in an encrypted format in the database system, and wherein the server node is further configured to: receive the subset of the chat log in the encrypted format from the database system; decrypt the subset of the chat log using a security key to produce a decrypted subset of the chat log; and transmit the decrypted subset of the chat log to the one or more processors as a response to the request (par [0084]).
Regarding Claim 5, Clarke teaches the operating method of claim 1, wherein the determining of whether the public data is in the available state comprises:
in response to an account type of the administrator being a second account type, determining the public data to be in an unavailable state (the system determines at least one data center in which to store a copy of the chat message. The system can make this determination based on one or more factors, such as corporate policies, a characteristic of a participant in the chat conversation, a geographical location associated with a participant in the chat conversation, the chat channel containing the chat conversation, and/or legal restrictions, par [0066]); and
in response to the account type of the administrator being a first account type, determining whether the public data is in the available state based on a remaining capacity of the drive (the system can make this determination based on one or more factors, such as corporate policies, a characteristic of a participant in the chat conversation, a geographical location associated with a participant in the chat conversation, the chat channel containing the chat conversation, and/or legal restrictions, par [0066], , the server node transmits the decrypted subset of the chat log to the chat server system 102, which in turn forwards the decrypted subset of the chat log to the participant's client device for display to the participant for access, par [0061]).
Regarding Claim 5, Clarke teaches the operating method of claim 1, wherein the determining of whether the public data is in the available state comprises:
in response to a public backup for the chat room being set to be disabled, determining the public data to be in an unavailable state (the chat logs may be encrypted when stored in the database systems. The first server node may have one or more security keys to encrypt and decrypt the first chat log. The server nodes use their respective security keys to encrypt incoming messages for storage in the database systems. The security keys may be kept secret from anyone outside the entity, for example from the chat service provider, so that external parties cannot access the stored chat logs. The security keys may also be kept secret from various parties within the entity, to prevent them from accessing the chat logs, pars [0036-0037]).
Regarding Claim 7. Clarke teaches the operating method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to the public data corresponding to the chat room being in an unavailable state (private/encrypted), deleting the public data stored (kept secret) in the drive of the administrator (the chat logs may also be encrypted when stored in the database systems. The security keys may be kept secret from anyone outside the entity, for example from the chat service provider, so that external parties cannot access the stored chat logs. The security keys may also be kept secret from various parties within the entity, to prevent them from accessing the chat logs, pars [0036-0037]).
Regarding Claim 8. Clarke teaches the operating method of claim 1, further comprising:
storing the chat data in a drive of the participant, based on an account type of the participant in the chat room (the system determines at least one data center in which to store a copy of the chat message. The system can make this determination based on one or more factors, such as corporate policies, a characteristic of a participant in the chat conversation, a geographical location associated with a participant in the chat conversation, the chat channel containing the chat conversation, and/or legal restrictions, par [0066]).
Regarding Claim 9. Clarke teaches an operating method of a server providing an instant messaging service, the operating method comprising:
receiving, from a participant in a first-type chat room, a request for chat data sent or received within the chat room (the system receives a chat message from a first participant in a chat conversation, which may be associated with a chat channel. For instance, the server node can receive the chat message from the first client device, par [0064] and the chat server system generates a request to obtain a subset of the encrypted chat log stored in the database system, par [0057]);
acquiring, based on whether public data corresponding to the chat room is in an available state, the requested chat data from the public data stored in a drive of an administrator of the chat (the system determines at least one data center in which to store a copy of the chat message. The system can make this determination based on one or more factors, such as corporate policies, a characteristic of a participant in the chat conversation, a geographical location associated with a participant in the chat conversation, the chat channel containing the chat conversation, and/or legal restrictions, par [0066], the chat message can be received at the server nodes of the selected data centers, at which point the server nodes can transmit commands to their corresponding database systems for causing the database systems to store copies of the chat message in their local chat logs, par [0070], the chat server system can coordinate with the server nodes to pull the conversation history from the users' corresponding data centers and provide it to them (e.g., rather than pulling the conversation history from its own cloud storage). The chat server system can coordinate with the server node to obtain some or all of the intervening chat messages from the database system and provide those chat messages to the user, par [0034]); and
providing the requested chat data to a terminal of the participant, wherein whether the public data is in the available state is determined based on status information of the administrator and public backup setting information of the chat room (the chat server system can coordinate with the server node to obtain some or all of the intervening chat messages from the database system and provide those chat messages to the user, par [0034], the administrative portal, the administrator may be able to selectively enable or disable a remote storage setting (e.g., a cloud storage setting) associated with the entity's conversations, par [0033], using the administrative portal, the administrator may be able to selectively enable or disable a remote storage setting (e.g., a cloud storage setting) associated with the entity's conversations, par [0043]).
Regarding Claim 10. Clarke teaches the operating method of claim 9, wherein the acquiring of the requested chat data comprises:
in response to the public data being in the available state, determining whether the public data includes the requested chat data (the system determines at least one data center in which to store a copy of the chat message. The system can make this determination based on one or more factors, such as corporate policies, a characteristic of a participant in the chat conversation, a geographical location associated with a participant in the chat conversation, the chat channel containing the chat conversation, and/or legal restrictions, par [0066], the chat message can be received at the server nodes of the selected data centers, at which point the server nodes can transmit commands to their corresponding database systems for causing the database systems to store copies of the chat message in their local chat logs, par [0070], the chat server system can coordinate with the server nodes to pull the conversation history from the users' corresponding data centers and provide it to them (e.g., rather than pulling the conversation history from its own cloud storage). The chat server system can coordinate with the server node to obtain some or all of the intervening chat messages from the database system and provide those chat messages to the user, par [0034]); and
in response to the public data including the requested chat data, acquiring the requested chat data from the public data stored in the drive of the administrator (the system can make this determination based on one or more factors, such as corporate policies, a characteristic of a participant in the chat conversation, a geographical location associated with a participant in the chat conversation, the chat channel containing the chat conversation, and/or legal restrictions, par [0066], , the server node transmits the decrypted subset of the chat log to the chat server system 102, which in turn forwards the decrypted subset of the chat log to the participant's client device for display to the participant for access, par [0061]).
Regarding Claim 11. Clarke teaches the operating method of claim 9, wherein the acquiring of the requested chat data comprises: in response to the public data being in an unavailable state, acquiring the requested chat data from a drive of the participant based on an account type of the participant (the system determines at least one data center in which to store a copy of the chat message. The system can make this determination based on one or more factors, such as corporate policies, a characteristic of a participant in the chat conversation, a geographical location associated with a participant in the chat conversation, the chat channel containing the chat conversation, and/or legal restrictions, par [0066], the chat logs may also be encrypted when stored in the database systems. The security keys may be kept secret from anyone outside the entity, for example from the chat service provider, so that external parties cannot access the stored chat logs. The security keys may also be kept secret from various parties within the entity, to prevent them from accessing the chat logs, pars [0036-0037]).
Regarding Claim 12, this non-transitory computer-readable storage medium claim comprises limitations substantially the same, as those discussed in claim 1 above, same rationale of rejection is applicable.
Regarding Claim 13-17, these apparatus (server) claims comprise limitations substantially the same, as those discussed in claim 1-2, 4-5, and 8 above, same rationale of rejection is applicable.
Regarding Claims 18-20, these apparatus(server) claims comprise limitations substantially the same, as those discussed in claim 9-11 above, same rationale of rejection is applicable.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY MEJIA whose telephone number is (571)270-3630. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10:30 AM-6:30 PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CHRISTOPHER PARRY can be reached at (571)272-8328. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANTHONY MEJIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2451
